In next to no time they have become the darling of Britain’s smallholder sector, their looks combining with easy management and a placid nature to make the Valais the must-have breed of the moment.

At the cusp of this wave are two friends from North Wales – a dairy farmer and an agricultural consultant – who have quickly established a reputation for meeting demand with some of the very best examples of this unusual breed.

In May, Richard Pilkington and Steve Jones, who run the Alpine flock of Valais sheep at Shordley Hall farm, Hope , near Wrexham , collected a breed-leading price for a young Valais ram.

Just a few weeks earlier they also completed a deal to export embryos and semen to New Zealand.

The Valais may be cute, but so is their business approach, which is anything but cuddly. The pair have adopted a nard-nosed, commercial attitude that owes as much to customer relationships and animal welfare than it does to breed genetics and long-term flock-building.

“This is the sort of thing that British agriculture needs to be doing more of,” said Steve.

“The industry is facing uncertain times and I know of very few farmers who are content to stay on the treadmill. We need to be looking at new opportunities – to think outside the box – and one of these is the smallholder sector.

“The Valais is one example of how farmers can cater for a market that has good disposable incomes and a need for expert advice.”

In contrast Steve is something of an agricultural polymath. Now aged 54, he has built an impressive CV with spells as a farm manager in Britain and a dairy export sales manager in Canada, where he lived with wife Janet for 14 years.

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Steve (left) and Richard Pilkington are happy to sell their stock - at the right price - to build cashflow (Image: Robert Parry Jones)

On returning to Britain, Steve and Janet settled near Corwen and hooked up with his old childhood friend. They began discussing new ventures: importing Black Limousin embryos was one, the Valais another.

Both were aware of the breed and, in early 2014, they bought a Valais ram privately in Scotland and ewes at a rare breeds sale.

Like everyone who owns the breed, they immediately fell for its charms. Unlike others, however, they were prepared to part with them.

“I have never seen a hill breed that is so approachable,” said Steve. “Most mountain sheep have a flight instinct but the Valais will come towards you, especially the lambs.

“Meet a Valais and you have a friend for life."

He added: “As hill sheep, I would say they are browsers rather than grazers – you can tell that from the shape of their faces.

“Put them in a field and they will first eat the thistles and nettles, and the shoots off the hedges. From that point of view they are excellent at keeping paddocks tidy.”

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Accounts of Valais Blacknose sheep date back to 15th Century Switzerland, originating in the Valais region from which they gained their name. However they only became a registered breed in 1962 and, in Switzerland, still number less than 14,000. Exports are carefully controlled and many farmers are reluctant to give up stock. (Image: Robert Parry Jones)

Ah, but farmers say, are they any good at doing their main job, producing meat? On his travels around the world Steve has seen many breeds that are much less productive but still yield protein and are entirely suited to their conditions.

Bearing in mind the Valais is a hill breed, grazing the steepest, stoniest slopes of the Alps, he has been impressed by their performance.

“The Valais is easy to lamb and we both commented on how quickly the lambs grew,” he said.

“They can produce lambs year-round and this may give rise to crossing opportunities.

"We’re not saying it is a forerunner to the next Mule or Halfbred but there is certainly potential for cross-breeding.”

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As befits a breed with such universal appeal, every February they enjoy their own annual “beauty contest” in Visp, the capital of Valais. Dressed in traditional Swiss copper bells, they are presented to admirers in a large school hall. (Image: Tim McGuinness)

The Kiwi link was no accident. Steve and Richard have been building contacts in New Zealand and in early May they completed their second export of Valais embryos and semen to a syndicate which is keen to develop the breed in the southern hemisphere.

“People like to build big flocks but we knew we needed a quick return on our investment to keep cashflow going,” said Steve.

“For our buyers, animal welfare is important. They want to know they are getting healthy stock, and we go out of our way to provide a personal service. At a sale last year our wives Ruth and Janet printed and handed out guides to buyers so they would know how to look after their new animals.”

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Last year there were still fewer than 400 Valais sheep in Britain, though numbers are rising quickly (Image: Robert Parry Jones)

Valais wool is in demand by spinners across the UK. The wool has a long staple, with soft fibres, giving the fleece a white and fluffy look and adding to the breed’s “cuddly toy” appeal. Fly strike can be a danger and Steve warns new owners to look out for the signs.

As an agricultural consultant – he runs Cornerstone Genetics – Steve is an advocate of biological agriculture, the principle of building healthier soils to improve sustainability and, ultimately profitability.

He worries that UK farming remains mired in tradition and held back by subsidy. Having seen examples around the world, the industry in Britain is not as productive as it should be, he believes.

Brexit may provide the shock the sector needs. By exporting to New Zealand a sheep breed that originates in a non-EU country, he has shown what it possible.